Dr. Anthony Lombardi
Science & Tech • Fitness & Health
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Keep it simple especially when talking with patients

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
-Albert Einstein

I think it's just human nature to have to complicate things. But when you're in the clinic, that is no time to be an academic or philosopher.

I've always harped on clinical results. Working in the clinic is working in the trenches so to speak. This is where the rubber meets the road. Any flowery ideas of acupuncture or Chinese medicine, all the lovely beautiful concepts and theories, they mean nothing. Results are the only thing that matters - and the treatments behind them. While many think this disparages the "art", what it actually is, is putting the patient first. I will never apologize for putting the patient above ideology that doesn't deliver results, and only serves to comfort one's ego.

I've seen so many peeps brag about what they can do. What they know, how they can "control qi", or the degrees they have. Something is always missing in this bragging though - the patient.

Learning is fun, philosophy is extremely interesting, exploring new idea is important. But in the clinic it's all about keeping it simple.

Likewise, how are you explaining things to your patients? Are you lecturing on the differences between acupuncture and dry needling? Are you over explaining how your treatments are helping them? Have you noticed they glaze over after about 30 seconds?

It's best to keep working on your scripts and saying things very direct. Give the patients what they need - results. We excel in the clinic, delivering the tools we've learned. If we're talking, we're not working (unless you can do both at the same time).

And please, keep it simple!

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January 05, 2026
Chronic Low Back Pain and Neuropathy

Hello community! I need some help with a case. It's for an 87 year old woman who has chronic back pain and neuropathy. She fell backwards a number of years ago and since then she's been in chronic pain. She had an ablation over the summer and the nerve pain is returning. She also feels like she has weakness in her legs, has difficulty getting up without her legs buckling. Both hips have been replaced and her glute muscles are all weak. she cannot lie on her back without being in more pain after getting up. Whenever I have attempted low back treatments on her side, including a stenosis treatment, it always makes the pain worse. I often treat her in a recliner chair sitting up, but would like to make more progress with her. Any advice?

January 02, 2026
Where do you start with this?

61 year old male with various changing musculoskeletal complaints: R neck and shoulder pain, sometimes cervical tightness causes numbness and tingling in arms. Bilateral hip pain/tightness which is intermittent, compared to the shoulder pain is more constant, but none of these are severe. Scoliosis in low back, often the L low back and flank hurt more than right.

R leg longer by 1/4”. L2-L5 or S1 very curved. R pelvis juts out compared to L. R shoulder significantly lower than L.

Currently his most acute symptom is tenderness in his L inguinal crease. There was a period of bleeding in urine and semen for 2 weeks that has stopped; he went to the doctor and they ruled out UTI, STD, and hernia. On palpation the edge of the pelvic bowl is a bit tender and the most tender spot subjectively is right over the femoral pulse.

EXSTORE:
Lower extremity: Bilateral psoas, TFL, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus.
Upper extremity: Supraspinatus, serratus

It just feels like a lot and I'm ...

December 30, 2025

Is anyone practicing in area code 23062 - Virginia, or thereabouts? Williamsburg? For a friend with scoliosis and arthritis. thanks in advance.

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